Patent GB-397922-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to statistical accumulating mechanisms
Filed: 1932-03-04
Abstract: 397,922. Statistical machines. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., Victoria House, Vernon Place, Southampton Row, London. March 4, 1932, No. 6515. Convention date, March 6, 1931. [Class 106 (i).] Adding and subtracting.-Statistical apparatus embodies counters which may be started at the commencement of a cycle and stopped when an impulse is transmitted (card hole read) or may be started when an impulse is transmitted and stopped at the end of the cycle. Such adding and subtracting counters are exemplified in Specifications 304,383, [Class 106 (i), Calculating &c.], and 372,365. In the present invention two such counters are combined and are so connected, denomination to corresponding denomination, that when one counter is started by the impulse, the other counter is automatically stopped and means are provided to select which counter shall be started by the impulse. Means may be provided for disabling the above denominational connections so that the counters may be used independently for adding. The machine in which the invention is illustrated is generally similar to those described in Specifications 372,365 and 375,889, and is controlled by Hollerith cards which are read at upper brushes 360, Fig. 10, and one cycle later at lower brushes 361 where the amounts are entered into the two counters. The machine has a number of plates 7, Fig. 1, each of which carries a denominational unit of the upper or credit counter (C) and a denominational unit of the lower or debit counter (D). Each such denominational pair is connected by mechanism controlled by a crank 77 having three positions. In the neutral position, Fig. 1, the two counters add independently ; in the lowered position, Fig. 2, a credit item is added to the upper credit counter C and subtracted (by adding the complement) from the lower, debit counter D, i.e. the impulse from the card-reading starts the counter C and stops the counter D which latter has been rotating since the beginning of the cycle. In the raised position of crank 77 a debit unit is added to counter D and subtracted from counter C. If the sum of the debit items exceeds the sum of the credits, counter C will contain a complement, i.e. a " 9 " will appear in the highest denomination. Otherwise counter C will show the true, credit balance. Continuouslv-driven shafts 13 drive wheels 12, 10 in each denominational unit. Each wheel 10 is rigid with a wheel 29 adapted to mesh with a normally disengaged wheel 30. Rigid with wheel 30 is a wheel 37 constantly meshing with the counter wheel 38. Wheels 30, 37 are carried by arms 33, 34 rigid with a sleeve 35 loose on stud 36. A spring 39 engaging arm 33 tends to enmesh wheels 29, 30, but an extension 45 of arm 33 is latched by armature 46, 47 of magnet C (or D) until the magnet is energized. Magnets C and D are energized when credit and debit items respectively are read. With wheels 29, 30 thus engaged the counter wheel 38 rotates until the zero hole positions on the card are read, whereupon a projection 51 on a cam 50, rigid with wheels 10, 29, rocks an arm 53 of arm 33 to demesh the wheels 29, 30. When an amount is thus added to one counter (C) the component is added to the other (D) by energizing the counter magnets (D) as the " 9 " hole positions are read, except the units magnet which is energized one step earlier to give a true complement. When counter magnets C are energized by the hole read, the wheels 29, 30 of the counter D are demeshed by the following means. Each arm 34 of the credit and debit denominational unit pair has an arm 54 with a pin 55. The two pins 55 engage slots in links 56, 57 attached to opposite ends of a lever 58 pivoted at 59 and having a pin 60 which is positioned between lugs 61, 62 on slides 63, 64 ; each slide has three slots guided on studs 65, 66, 59 carried on a fixed plate 67. The slides are urged in opposite directions by a connecting spring 68. The slides are held in the position of Fig. 1 by extensions 72, 73 (on slides 63, 64 respectively) embracing a pin 71 on a lever 74 pivoted at 75 and controlled through a pin and slot 76 by crank 77. In the neutral position of the parts shown in Fig. 1 both studs 55 are free to move up in their slots to engage their respective wheels 29, 30 for independent addition. In the Fig. 2 position, credit items are added to counter C and subtracted from counter D : pin 71 is raised, lifting lug 62 of slide 64 off the top of pin 60. Spring 68 pulls slide 63 upwards and the lug 61 presses up on pin 60 on lever 58 and tends to rock this lever counterclockwise. Whilst upper arm 45 is latched, however, this is prevented by pin 55 engaging the lower end of the slot in link 56. At the commencement of the machine cycle the lower wheels 29, 30 are enmeshed to add the complement, the lower pins 55 being at the tops of their slots in links 57. When a hole is read a magnet C unlatches the corresponding arm 45, upper wheels 29, 30 are enmeshed and upper pin 55 moves up, releasing linkage 56, 57, 58. This permits the spring 68 to rock arm 58 counterclockwise, lowering link 57, and demeshing the lower wheels 29, 30 ; the correct complement being thus added. The lower parts are latched by the debit magnet armature. Conversely, for debits a card hole read by a lower brush 361 enmeshes the lower counter wheels and throws out the upper wheels which have been adding the complement to the upper counter. The position of crank 77 is determined by mechanism associated with a magnet SM2, Fig. 4, which is only energized for debit items. Constantly running gears 79, 85 drive a shaft 87 carrying cams 88, 89 which actuate arms 90, 91 loose on shaft 92. Arms 90, and 91 respectively have extensions 95, 96 facing arms 97, 98 rigid with shaft 92. Studs 101, 102 may be inserted between the arms as shown so that members 88, 90, 95, 101, 97 rotate shaft 92 counterclockwise or members 89, 91, 96, 102, 98 rock this shaft clockwise. Studs 101, 102 are carried on separate belt cranks 103 pivoted at 104 to a slide 105 and pulled by springs 106 against stops 107 on the slide so as to align the studs with the gaps 99, 100 between the arms 95, 97 and 96, 98. Slide 105 is guided on fixed screws 108 and pulled down by a spring 110 when the armature latch 112, 111 is released. If the item entered from the card at the lower brushes is a credit item the parts are in the position shown and parts 88, 90, 95, 101, 97 rock shaft 92 counterclockwise so that linkage 116, 117, 78 lowers the crank 77 to the credit position of Fig. 2. If the item be a debit item magnet SM2 is energized, latch 111 removed, and slide 105 is lowered to remove stud 101 from gap 99 and place stud 102 in gap 100 so that shaft 92 is rocked clockwise and linkage 116 &c. raises crank 77 from the neutral position shown in Fig. 4 to the debit position. Cam 119 and members 120, 124 and shoulder 129 restore slide 105 upwards subsequently; cam 130 and lever 131 positively restore the hook 111 to latching position. To disable these devices so that the upper and lower counters add independently a subtraction setting lever is adjusted by the operator, whereby a link 138 moves a latch 141 to the right, Fig. 4, to engage a shoulder 142 on the slide 105. At the same time a pin 143 on link 138 actuates members 144, 145, 148 to remove the latch 111 so that shoulder 142 moves down to the latch 141. In this position of the slide 105 both the pins 101, 102 are outside the gaps 99, 100 so that rocking of levers 95, 96 has no effect on either arm 97 or arm 98. The tens-transfer mechanism is identical with that described in Specification 372,365. Total-taking.-To take a total of a group of items, the necessary circuit changes are effected as in Specification 372,365, (Fig. 7a). This mechanism is controlled by magnet TSM, Fig. 10, which also rocks a shaft 264, Figs. 1 and 2. A groove 267 in this shaft receives the ends 268 of the levers 269 of the upper counter. These levers are pivoted at 270 and are connected by pin and slot 272 to a link 271. The parts are normally in the positions shown, but during totalling the shaft 264 is rocked counterclockwise so that link 271 is lowered. Pins 275 on the free ends of arms 43 pivoted at 276 rest in slots 274 in link 271. Fulcrum blocks 44 on arm 43 contact with the undersurface of springs 39. In the position of Fig. 1, lever 269 and link 271 hold arm 43 raised. Under a lug 277 on arm 43 is a latch 278, Fig. 2, pivoted at 280 and having an arm 281 coacting with a cam 282 rigid with wheels 10, 29. With arm 43 normally held up as above, spring 39 is pressed up by fulcrum 44 to engage the wheels 29, 30 for adding. In the totalling position with link 271 lowered, arm 43 is released by this link but is held up by latch 278. At total-taking, when the counter wheel reaches zero, cam 282 rocks arm 281 to remove latch 278 so that the spring 39 demeshes the wheels 29, 30. Also when the counter wheel is at zero, brushes 286 are bridged by an insert 285 on a commutator 284 rigid with each upper counter wheel, Figs. 2 and 10. For the lower, debit counter the commutators coact with brushes 287. If the balance is a debit (minus) one the highest wheel of the upper counter shows a " 9." Brushes 288 test for this " 9 " and, if a " 9 " is present, a circuit 400, CR6, 401 energizes a minus balance magnet MBM which connects the lower counter to the printer magnets P instead of the upper counter. At total-taking magnet TSM causes all magnets C and D to be energized to engage all credit and debit counter wheels which then rotate to zero, when they are disengaged by the cams 282. At zero the inserts 285 close the circuits at brushes 286, 287 to energize printer magnets P .of the selected counter to arrest the type bars to print the true total. Sub-total-taking.-A sub or progressive total magnet PG is provided for each magnet C and D, Figs. 1 and 10 ; a switch S3 being closed for subtotalling. When a magnet PG is energized